uni'wissen 02-2013_ENG

Andreas Manuel studied forest science with an additional emphasis on industrial environmental management at the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources of the University of Freiburg. He has partici- pated in the research proj- ect “What Makes Wood So Attractive?” for two years and is writing his disserta- tion on this topic. Photos: Thomas Kunz Further Reading Becker, G./Kühnel, A. (2012): Tropenwälder, Forstplantagen, Deutscher Wald: Wer liefert uns den begehrten Rohstoff Holz? In: Freiburger Universitätsblätter 196/2, pp. 101–114. Ohnesorge, D./Becker, G. (2009): Forschung zum Buchen-Brett- schichtholz. Buchenholz – konstruktiv, innovativ. In: AFZ-DerWald 64/2, pp. 78–80. Fakultät für Forst- und Umweltwissenschaften der Universität Freiburg/ Forstliche Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt Baden-Württemberg (FVA), Freiburg (Ed.) (2008): Berichte Freiburger Forstliche Forschung 78. Starkholz – Premiumprodukt oder Problemsortiment? Chance und He- rausforderung für Produktion, Bereitstellung und Vermarktung. Freiburg. Follow this link to participate in the study on the attractiveness of wood: www.uni-freiburg.de/go/umfrage_holz “A small but significant percentage of the customers prefer boards that have previously been sorted into the third class due to their large knot structures” Prof. Dr. Gero Becker studied forest science and economics in Hannoversch Münden, Göttingen, and Freiburg. In 1974 he earned his PhD at the University of Freiburg, in 1980 his habili- tation qualification. After- wards, Becker accepted a professorship at the Faculty of Forest Science at the University of Freiburg. In 1987 he moved to the Uni- versity of Göttingen, but in 1995 he returned to Freiburg, where he took over as direc- tor of the Institute of Forest Utilization and Work Sci- ence, which was renamed the Chair for Forest Utiliza- tion in 2013. Becker con- ducts research on problems at the point of intersection between silvicultural pro- duction and the use and pro- cessing of wood and other forest products as well as on the sustainable use of bio- mass for energy purposes. boards that have previously been sorted into the third class due to their large knot structures and that are therefore usually built into walls where they are not visible,” says Becker. Whether the forests can provide enough wood that corre- sponds to the customers’ preferences remains to be seen. 35